Apple reveals top app downloads of 2013

Candy Crush was launched in November 2012 and is available for free on the Apple and Android platforms, has over 500 million downloads and has been played over 150 billion times, according to developer King.
AFR

Candy Crush Saga, the smash hit game that millions played on subways, waiting at the bank or hanging around the house, was the No. 1 most downloaded free app for the iPhone in 2013, according to Apple.

The game itself, launched in November 2012 and available for free on the Apple and Android platforms, has more than 500 million downloads and has been played over 150 billion times, according to developer King.

Hit games — think Angry Birds, Words with Friends and FarmVille — come and go as players navigate to the next big game. But King co-founder Sebastian Knutsson thinks Crush can stay on top with frequent updates. "We add new content every two to three weeks," he says. "It allows you to play the whole saga in a new way."

Key takeaways from the rest of the top 10:

Communication apps are wildly popular. Vine, a brand new app from Twitter that lets folks make funny six-second videos, was the fourth most downloaded free app. Snapchat, home of photo messages that can disappear within 10 seconds, is No. 6. Instagram, which began as a place to share photos and has evolved into a popular social network (singer Beyonce announced her new digital album on Instagram) is No. 7.

Despite heated music service competition from Apple, Clear Channel and others, Pandora — the personalised music service — had a great year, coming in at No. 9 on the free app download chart. Apple in September introduced iTunes Radio, a similar service that many said could spell the end of Pandora, and Clear Channel poured a lot of promotional muscle into its iHeart Radio.

Hot apps from 2012 left the top 10 in 2013. The game Draw Something and original Temple Runwere on last year's top 10. The "Flashlight" app, Twitter, Pinterest and Skype were all top downloads last year, but didn't make this year's top 10. YouTube, last year's top download, is No. 2 this year.

More folks have Android phones worldwide, but apps are more widely used on iPhones and iPads in the US. According to market researcher Quantcast, 65 per cent of app usage in the US is on Apple's iOS platform, compared with 32 per cent for Android and the remainder for Windows Phone and BlackBerry.

"People are more engaged with their apps on iPhones and iPads in the United States," says Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray. "And most new apps are released on iOS first."